Taco Bell Salmonella Outbreak: Investigation Pins Blame On Yum Brands Chain

Earlier this week, HuffPost Food wrote that Food Safety News had been investigating an unusually large outbreak of salmonella originating at an unnamed Mexican chain with locations throughout middle America. FSN did a bunch of legwork to try and dig up the identity of the restaurant -- and today, their work finally paid off.

The culprit was Taco Bell.

The Yum Brands chain had looked like the most likely culprit for some time; of the four chains with locations in all or almost all of the affected states, it had by far the most outposts. And it has a history of salmonella.

But it took Freedom of Infortmation Act requests and dogged pursuit by FSN reporters to get to the bottom of the story. Ultimately, the information came from a document FSN editor-in-chief Dan Flynn acquired from the Oklahoma State Department Of Health.

What's wrong with this picture? Why is the CDC covering for Taco Bell? Could it have to do, possibly, with the hundreds of thousands of dollars Yum Brands spends on lobbying every month?

UPDATE 2/2: Taco Bell has released a statement in response to the salmonella outbreak allegations. Here's the full text:

“The CDC has stated the public health is not at any risk and this incident is completely over. They have not identified the food source of the food borne illness that occurred in October and November of 2011. The CDC indicated that some of the people who were ill ate at Taco Bell, while others did not. They believe that the problem likely occurred at the supplier level before it was delivered to any restaurant or food outlet. We take food quality and safety very seriously.”

UPDATE 2/7: Food Safety News published yet more evidence yesterday that Taco Bell is the culprit here. Their reporters tracked down a document from a different state altogether -- Michigan -- that confirmed the identity of Restaurant Chain A as Taco Bell.

Comments

[sacmom3]

05:39 AM on 02/05/2012

OK TB that's it. Strike three you're out. No more TB in my house.

[PLDgyrl]

11:04 PM on 02/05/2012

Really the whole 80% beef didn't do it for you???

[sacmom3]

12:06 AM on 02/06/2012

NO! I was even willing to give them benefit of the doubt with their "dogmeat" beef, and tainted green onions because I thought they would clean up their act so they wouldn't kill even MORE people, but enough is enough. I'm done.

[gramof3]

09:00 PM on 02/03/2012

I really apprecaite Subway's clealiness as all employees wear plastic gloves and then TAKE THEM OFF AFTER EACH SANDWICH is made and then putting on new clean ones before touching meat or anything for the next customer.How many places do you see doing that? NONE or very very few! I have seen employees in other businesses wearing gloves but then ringing up money and TAKING IT, still in those gloves then going on to the next customer,still in those same gloves..well. DUHHHHHHHHH..I have brought this to their attenton and then asked to speak to the manager and then left that place!

[Howard Janet]

07:28 PM on 02/03/2012

One of my coworkers recently published a blog about salmonella and the Taco Bell incident. You can read it here. http://myadvocates.com/blog/salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-taco-bell

[Kev Bat]

02:29 PM on 02/03/2012

Taco bell serves meat that is just a grade above dog food .

[ccdae5]

02:17 PM on 02/03/2012

I quit eating at Taco Bell years ago after a good friend got Hepatitus from eating there and nearly died. They serve warmed garbage in my opinion, eat it at your own risk.

[pepper1311]

11:59 AM on 02/03/2012

The FDA hiding this for three months is sad, who says the 'government' hates big business...

[Food Review 101 Web-Site]

09:56 AM on 02/03/2012

Surprise? obviously not. we tried out the new breakfast menu though, it was actually wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be. not the best way to kick that off either.

[Oginikwe]

09:11 AM on 02/03/2012

"We take food quality and safety very seriously.”

I would guess not really. The CDC is getting to be as trustworthy as the FDA.

[gemini68]

10:55 AM on 02/03/2012

Agreed.

[ccdae5]

02:18 PM on 02/03/2012

Yep, just like DOJ (Eric Holder) and the Fast and Furious scam. Gotta HOPE for a CHANGE in November.

[Kev Bat]

02:26 PM on 02/03/2012

Stay on point ! The CDC operates without the Presidents actions !

[Oginikwe]

02:27 PM on 02/03/2012

Actually, it's not like that at all. The Fast & Furious scam began in 2006 under Bush. The corporate purchase of the FDA goes back to the 1980s.

[diogenes91]

04:09 AM on 02/03/2012

The sad thing is that, apparently, a company called Microbial-Vac out of Utah approached Taco Bell a few years ago to make their QA better using their innovative sampling technology.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Microbial-Vac-Systems-Inc-MSI/205372359492034

http://www.m-vac.com/

[Happy Kine]

11:16 PM on 02/02/2012

Taco Bell, what east Coasters think Mexican food is.

[gemini68]

10:56 AM on 02/03/2012

I think you mean the Midwest. The East Coast has some great authentic Taquerias.

[ccdae5]

02:20 PM on 02/03/2012

Sorry, the Midwest is full of authentic Mexican Restaurants, Taco bell is primarily eaten by kids because it's cheap and they don't know any better.

[carrieanna]

02:31 PM on 02/03/2012

My cousins from New York used to think TB was Mexican. I'm fairly certain they actually thought it was authentic Mexican. Really weird. But they moved to TX and they know better now.

[barrada nicto]

10:52 PM on 02/02/2012

Salmonella can kill.

Taco Bell is covering it up?

No more Taco Bell for my family. Not ever!

[DietSprite2011]

09:53 PM on 02/02/2012

In our area Taco Bell employees are Mexicans who do not speak English. They may not have the necessary knowledge of how and what is expected when handling food ie washing hands and keeping foods at the appropriate temps. This seems to be happening more frequently. Someone needs to see this is addressed and soon.

[RedDog79]

10:39 AM on 02/03/2012

the problem is NOT with the Mexican employees - it IS management and corporate level problem. any restaurant that isn't clean is because of management. If management does what is right in training of employees and keeping the restaurant clean and the food safe - it doesn't matter who is working for them.

[gemini68]

10:57 AM on 02/03/2012

That is the most racist thing I've read in awhile.

[ccdae5]

02:23 PM on 02/03/2012

It may sound racist to you but could be true, different cultures have different hygiene habits. Ever wonder why you can't drink water in Mexico or eat anything raw??? Get out of your cocoon.

[Corbin Desmarais]

08:11 PM on 02/02/2012

I ate at taco bell 2 weeks ago and i was pooping blood and throwing up for all that time. Im never eating mexican food again.

[gemini68]

10:57 AM on 02/03/2012

Taco Bell isn't Mexican food dear.

[pepper1311]

12:03 PM on 02/03/2012

It's called cleansing. That will cost you $100.00

[Corbin Desmarais]

08:10 PM on 02/02/2012

Yea i ate there and was sick for two weeks i had blood in my poop and was throwing up. I'll never touch mexican food again.

[Robert Lee Harrington]

09:33 PM on 02/02/2012

Taco Bell is NOT MEXICAN FOOD.

[Halsey]

10:56 AM on 02/03/2012

Taco Bell is NOT Mexican food..it's a cal/tex/mex cheap mass produced attempt to seem Mexican. REAL Mexican food is fantastic..(okay..not all..menudo..I don't think so).. I can see why you won't eat fast food faux mexican..but hope someday you see a good, clean mom-pop Mexican restauant (with an A in the window!)..and give it a try..when you're ready!

[Jay Tay]

08:06 PM on 02/02/2012

if u eat at taco bell u need a LOBOTOMY seriously dogg real TALKKKKK mann that stuff is nastatyyyyyy call me a doctor lol am srs hmu if u agree n if u dont then idk LOLLL well aight space dogg out